Yeah, traffic/parking can be a nightmare. But if you think taking the Metro might save you time on that, be prepared for a subway that never works right but increases the fares about every 6 months despite derailing from time to time.

txag12 saidI've never done this before, (so bear with me) but I will be moving to the DC area for an internship starting in early January through the semester.

I was curious of the Do's and Don'ts of the city or any recommendations, tips, or things to see during my time there?? I will be living in the Crystal City area.

I have never been to DC, so any advice is much appreciative.

Thanks!

Check out the Smithsonian museums. They're free, and the largest museum system in the world.

Traffic is an absolute nightmare, especially in NOVA (where you're coming in from). Take only the metro if you're near a stop.

Be prepared for the type of people you'll meet here. DC has the largest concentration of degreed professionals in the country, if not the world. Politics rule the city, and it seems like everyone has a Masters, Ph.D, or law degree. This can lead to a stuffy mentality where everyone tries to out-do the other.

-Definitely get a Smart Trip card for the metro, it'll save you a lot of money in the long run.-Lord help you if you stand on the left side of the escalators.-Most people in the DC area do not handle adverse weather well when driving. Adverse weather includes snow, rain, clouds, etc.-Speaking of weather, it's crazy here. We've had weeks where Monday would have snow and Thursday would be in the 70's.

haha, nice. also the entire "EVERYBODY WORKS IN POLITICS/GOV. EVERYTHING IS A FUNDRAISER" myth is spoken truly like someone not from dc. if you moved there for a stint as a lot of people do that's fine but there's definitely an entire other side of the city you didn't take the time to get to know if you write it off like that.

haha, nice. also the entire "EVERYBODY WORKS IN POLITICS/GOV. EVERYTHING IS A FUNDRAISER" myth is spoken truly like someone not from dc. if you moved there for a stint as a lot of people do that's fine but there's definitely an entire other side of the city you didn't take the time to get to know if you write it off like that.

No shit I'm not from DC Sherlock. Neither are the Obama's. Its a transient city. The lifeblood is made by many residents who weren't born there. And guess what? Many, not all, work in politics.

You can't honestly tell me that politics isn't a defining characteristic of the city?

McQueen said^ It's like Ottawa is in Canada.If you live in Ottawa, you probably work for the government.

Hi BB.

Yes, kinda. But there is also a whole other side to the city. It's a very segregated city. Lots of hipsters. These people love cupcakes and kickball. It's getting better every year. I lived there 4 years and miss it sometimes. But alas, change is good...

Stay in good shape. DC (area) is the fittest of the country.. You will make a great contribution.

DC is definitely a place where not only what you know, but who you know.. can be very beneficial. (not saying befriend people who you think can help you out.. just saying that when you know good people it is very helpful here.) Don't muck up your name in this town and don't do anything (even minor) that will keep you from getting a clearance or causing you to lose a clearance.

Get a suit or 3.. maybe a dark blue, black, and a charcoal/graphite gray.. and make them look like diff outfits everytime you wear them. {=^)

the_glaive saidhaha, nice. also the entire "EVERYBODY WORKS IN POLITICS/GOV. EVERYTHING IS A FUNDRAISER" myth is spoken truly like someone not from dc. if you moved there for a stint as a lot of people do that's fine but there's definitely an entire other side of the city you didn't take the time to get to know if you write it off like that.

I lived in DC from 2001 to 2006 (ages 21 to 26). I have good memories of my time there, and made some good friends. Met the man with whom I'd go on to spend nine years of my life, and for that alone that city will always have a spot in my heart.

That said, I was ready and eager to leave towards the end of my time there. Of course not everybody works in government or policy. It is a functioning city, with arts and commerce. But the majority of its residents are, in one way or another connected to government, public policy (covering everything from think tanks to lobbying firms), or diplomacy. Those fields tend to attract certain types of people, and give the city a certain character that not everyone finds pleasant over an extended period of time. It is a lot harder to escape that scene in DC than it is in other cities--doable, but harder.

The OP is 21. I predict he'll have a great time. It can be a very fun town to be in at that age. My advice to him is the same advice I'd give any 21-year-old... Work hard, avoid debt, party when you can, and always, always, always, practice safe sex--in DC, especially, where as NPR reported this summer, the HIV rate is statistically higher than it is in five countries listed in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/africa-dc/#.UMwQupPjkY0

-The last Metro leaves at 2:45am on Fri and Sat nights..do not be late haha. -We've got some great gay sports leagues (flagfootball, kickball) if you're into that..I'm doing flag football this spring ayy haha.-U Street is where most college aged bars/clubs are (Black Cat, U Street Music Hall, Nellie's, 930 Club, Town, etc), unless you wanna go to Adams Morgan or Dupont (read: not as much fun and besides UStreet has Ben's Chili Bowl..which you should go to at least once because it's a city landmark).-People here have a bit of a stressed out, over achiever streak to them..my only advice is deal with it..it's the East Coast -The Green Line is really not that bad..but this is from a Baltimore boy haha.

DC=international people with a lot of money+educated people with a lot of money+senators+the homeless+college kids+people that work for some random government agency+commuters+pockets of neighborhoods that haven't gentrified yet. Remember, those pockets are what DC used to be like..there have been hella changes in the past few years..be smart.

You chose a good place to live.*Crystal City is convenient to Metro and Reagan Nat'l Airport.*Has the Underground which will be fully appreciated when weather sucks*if you bike or jog, the Mt Vernon Trail goes right thru there*Shirlington Village (great place to meet up with buddies) is just up the trail a few miles (sorry, no Metro to Shirlington)*Old Town Alexandria is just a couple of Metro stops to the south.

I've only been here 2 years, but there's so much to do. As mentioned, there's a number of gay sports groups which is a good way to meet people. The museums and parks are pretty awesome.

Traffic is pretty bad though, take the metro if you can. One of the cool things is that DC and some of the metro area around it is pretty walkable (I live in Bethesda and I only need my car to get to work in Gaithersburg, otherwise I can walk to wherever I need to go).

It's also a pretty fabulous place - when I moved here I didn't know DC was pretty prevalent with the gays, lol. Most important like any other place is just to have fun, don't sweat a lot of what the others have said about appearances.

Welcome to the D.C. metro area. Crystal City is roughly 2 miles from DC and it's a nice, vibrant area. It's generally safe and conveniently located within short a distance of other great neighborhoods, such as Clarendon, Courthouse, Ballston, Rosslyn/Key Bridge, Georgetown, Old Town, Shirlington, etc. The D.C. metro area has a lot of transients and, while it's relatively easy to meet people here, it's a bit more difficult to establish genuine friendships unless you've lived here for a while. The people in the area are career-focused, ambitious, and sometimes cold/aloof. We walk fast, we do things fast, and we're always running out of time. The D.C. metro area has some of the best looking, highly educated and cultured people in the U.S., and it may well be because they come from all over the U.S. and the world. We have tons of lawyers and lobbyists, social climbers, political wannabes, power broker wannabes, et al. If you can survive here, you can survive anywhere. I am sure that you will have a great time here. Best of luck!